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Chirundu Project: Second Phase communiqué
Zim
Conservation & Development Foundation (ZCDF)
July
16, 2005
Read Explicit objection
to the proposed "Chirundu Project"
On the 24th June 2005, the Zimbabwe Conservation
Development Foundation (ZCDF), brought attention to substantiated
information of a structured group of farmers, business persons,
companies and other independent stakeholders, having moved comprehensively
towards launching Stage 1 of a 120,000 hectare agricultural development
in the proclaimed Urungwe, Chewore and Sapi Safari Areas and the
Mana Pools National Park bordering on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe.
The ZCDF has subsequently learned that a decision to "stop"
the development has been made. What is not clear is whether this
decision has been taken for economic reasons, or because of the
exposure the project received from the objection released. It is
however known, that the term "hot potato" was used by
the developers to describe the prominence surrounding the proposed
development.
The level of prudence that needs to be applied though, given
the added decision by the developers to consign the matter to a
senior government executive for attention, is that to protect the
interests of the project, the "stop" decision is intended
as a smoke screen, or it could have been moved into "suspension"
mode rather than a complete stoppage, if at all. Given this, the
ZCDF will continue to closely collaborate with information sources
to secure insight to any further motives or decisions that may be
taken by the developers.
The Chirundu Project, the threats it poses and the multifaceted
escalating annihilation of wild and natural assets persé in Zimbabwe,
are what the ZCDF exists for in actively engaging and preventing.
The organisation subscribes to the need for intense vigilance, research,
evaluation and preventive action across all applicable frontiers
in its endeavours. The adversaries in this daunting task are lawlessness,
greed, bribery, corruption and unsustainably discreditable covenants
of conservation and natural resources management.
As the ZCDF assiduously crusades for the protection, propagation
and progressive development of the country’s feral resources for
benefit to all, bar none, the organisation accepts this cannot be
achieved alone. Thus, the ZCDF welcomes input from and through partnerships
with those in a pool of resources of excellent experience, qualification
and compatible philosophy.
A major hurdle at this time is, the perilous state of wild and
natural resource affairs being exacerbated by intensifying complexities
that underscore the applicable emergency factors. It could be argued,
that resolutions no longer exist in doing things right, but moreover
in doing the right things. In the context of this, the ZCDF in close
alliance with willing partners will stand firm in actively preventing
the Chirundu Project, or any such likened proposal.
Johnny Rodrigues
Chief Executive Officer
Zimbabwe Conservation and Development Foundation
Dr John Fulton
Chairman
Zimbabwe Conservation and Development Foundation
P O Box MP
Mount Pleasant
Harare, Zimbabwe
Fax : 263 4 339065
Mobile : 263 11 603 213 or 091 234 349
Email: paradigm@mweb.co.zw
or galorand@mweb.co.zw
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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